Our children have been asking a lot
of questions this week. These haven’t been the normal types of questions that
kids ask. This have been the types of questions that one asks when thing appear
random, senseless and tragic. Our children have come to accept that sad things
happen. A child dies because of sickness, or because of car accident or even in
some very unsafe places where children are exposed to the ravages of war. We
talk about these things and we acknowledge that sad things happen yet despite
that our children know that there are some places that provide sanctuary and
safety. Now we answer questions like “why would a 23 year old want to kill a
bunch of first graders in Connecticut?” “How did this person get so many guns?”
“How can such a thing happen to little kids in school?” Needless to say, this
was not what I had in mind when I signed up to be a parent of 4 over twenty two
years ago. Yet now, our kids, like so many, are asking very difficult questions
for which there are no simple or particularly acceptable answers.
This week’s Torah portion is VaYigash. The confrontation between Yosef and his
brothers is about to occur. The Parshah begins with Yehudah
approaching his brother Yosef, whom he does not recognize, and pleads for
Benjamin’s freedom. Yosef reveals his
identity and the brothers hug and kiss each other. They cry and they forgive
each other. Yosef asks about his father’s welfare. The brother’s return to
their father, Yaakov, and tell him that Yosef is alive. The brothers add that
everyone, the entire clan, should go down to Egypt. So this clan, including:
Jacob, the brothers, their wives and children, heads down to Egypt. Yaakov
meets Pharaoh. Yosef’s family is given a parcel of land outside of Egypt in a
place called Goshen, where they can tend to their flocks. Yaakov is re-united
with his beloved Yosef in the land of Goshen.
It would
appear that everything has gone according to some type of plan. The brothers
bowed down to Yosef, just like Yosef dreamt. Yosef’s father and his father’s
wives have bowed down to Yosef just like Yosef dreamt. A family that was
promised the land of Canaan has now travelled down to Egypt fulfilling the plan
that had been revealed to Yaakov’s father, Avraham as well as to Yaakov.
Clearly the Avot, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov were privy to God’s plan: their
descendents would go down to Egypt, become slaves and eventually be redeemed
and returned to the Eretz Yisroel. God explicitly revealed that plan as far
back as Parsha Lech Lecha when Avraham first left home and entered the
land. However God never explicitly
revealed the plan to Yosef. Yet he apparently gives every indication that he
knows God’s plan. When Yosef reveals
himself to his brothers he says: Ani
Yosef Acheichem Asher M’ChaRtem Oti Mitzrayaima – I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. VAtah, Al Tei’Atzvu v’Al Yichar B’eineichem
Ki M’ChaRtem Oti Heina Now, don’t be upset or angry with yourselves
that you sold me there; Ki Limchya
Sh’LaChani Elohim Lifneichem – it was
to save life that God sent me before you. Va’Yishlacheini Elohim Lifneichem LaSum Lachem Sh’Eirit Ba’Aretz
UlHaCHayot Lachem Lifleitah Gedolah - God
has sent me ahead of you to ensure your survival on earth and to save your
lives by a great deliverance (Gen 45:5-7). When referring to his brothers,
Yosef explains that they M’Char (sold) him into Egypt as a slave. However when
Yosef refers to God, the verb is not “sell” but rather SHaLaCh - “sent”. The
brothers, who are not privy to any plan, who have no aptitude for Navuah
(prophecy) perceive that they sold Yosef into Egypt and therefore have great
remorse for having done so. However Yosef apparently does have access to the
plan realizes that no sale could have occurred but rather Yosef’s descent to
Egypt was part of providential mission.
When the brothers fail to indicate that they understand two revelations
are simultaneously occurring. First Yosef has revealed his identity and second,
Yosef is trying to reveal God’s plan. Finally, Yosef makes the plan abundantly
clear. He was sent to Egypt by God in order to save the brothers, their father,
and everyone who belonged to this tribe.
V’Atah Lo Atem Shlachtem Oti
Heinah Ki HaElohim –So it was not you
who sent me here, but God. Because Yosef is keenly aware of the plan he
bears no animosity towards the brothers. Yosef reveals the plan to the brothers
so that they can get past what heinous act that they perceived to have
committed.
As we
have tried to explain and comfort our children following the horrible tragedy
that occurred in Connecticut; our children saw our anguish and our tears. We
have watched the aftermath on the news. We have seen the funerals, we have
heard about the random acts of kindness, we have watch and listened as some
pundits and politicians discuss the perceived improvement of gun control in the
United States. It was our ten year old who finally commented that she guesses
we are not allowed to the plan. I
suggested that perhaps the plan is as simple as making sure that none of lives
of those twenty children and six adults were wasted in life or a purposeless
death. Maybe the plan really is simple, as
we are being reminded to live a meaningful life and god forbid, when loved ones
die, or sad or even bad things happen to our loved ones, we figure out a way to
learn and grow from such an experience.
No, it didn’t sit so well with me. But like the Psalm says: V’Chesed Adoshem Mei’Olam V’Ad Olam Al Yirei’av V’Tzidkato Livnei Vanim
– But the kindness of Hashem is forever
and ever upon those who are in awe of Him, and His righteousness is upon
children’s children (Ps. 103:17). Children have a pure and simple faith in
God, and God continues to have faith in the children to bring goodness and
righteousness to this world.
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